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,Letters Patent No. 75,235,v dans iufm-cmo, 186s.

IMPROVEMENT IN LEAKAGE-MEASURES, ALARMS, AND INDICATORS.

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TO ALL 'WHOM- IT MAY CNCERN:

Be it known that I, THOMAS l?. Akisns, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented anew and improved Leakage-lilleasure, Alarm, and Indicator for Ships and Vessels; and- I doherehy declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- 4 l Figure 1 is a frontview of a leakage-measure, alarm, and indicator, constructed according to my invention, and illustrated as applied to a ships hold.

Figure 2 is a back view ofthe same, the weights and other lowerportions oi' the instrument not heing'shown.

l.Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the instrument-inthe line a: :c of gs. 1 and 2.

.Figure 4 isan elevation from the rear ofthe gearing, &c., detached from the indicator-case.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate corresponding"parts.

The nature of my invention consists- First. In a leakage-measurer employing two weights suspended upon a chain or cord which passes over a -pulley of an-alarm, or an alarm and indicator combined.

Second. It consists, in the combinatiouof such a leakage-measurer with an alarm, or with an indicator, or with an alarm and indicator combined.

Third'. It consists in the combination of such a leakage-measurer with the mechanism knoivn'asthe windingstop movement ot'a watch, and with a hell-alarm, or with revolvingr diskshavingigures or charactcrsiupon their faces designating feet' andl inches, and with a stationary plate withapertures through it for the exposition of said iigures or characters.

Fourth. It consists in a peculiar construction of' the hammer-arm or handle of the bell-alarm.'

Fifth. It consists in a combination of the hammer as constructed with the` pin-wheel, winding-stop movement, and the revolving chain drum and indicating-disks.-

Sixth. It.eonsists in the combination of the weight which measures the height of wat-er in the hold of' a vessel or ship, and a pendulum connected to puppet-valves of a, closed cylinder in which said weight is placed.

Seventh. And finally, in an arrangement of all the gearing and other parts upon a frame within the case.

, To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the s ame with reference tothe drawings. Y

A. represents a metal cylindric case, with glass front and open back, fn all respects substantially similar to an ordinary indicator-case. B is a metal spider or internal support, arranged permanently within the case A,l for sustaining all the gearing andthe alarm, as shown'. C C are two disks, marked with figures 1, 2, 8, and 4, up to 12, on onc,-aud up to 11 and 0 on the other, thus indicating feet and inches-thc disk C indicating feet, and the one, C', inches. These disks are arranged on shafts a a', just behind a pla-te, D, which has apertures b b a little larger than the `figures to be exposed through it, the apertures being in a position to havethe figures comeopposite to themas-the disks revolve. The disk which indicates inches makes a full revolution forevery twelfth of afrevolution ofthe disk which indicates feet. l

On the shaft of the inch-indicating disk a flanged pulley, E,`is secured, and around this pulley a chain or cord, F, is passed entirely. around once, and one end/carried down into a ships hold a suitable distance. On

. each end of this chain a weight is fastened, as represented, The weight G, I make 'of a greater diameter than K the one G', and I prefer to make both weights'of a substance which is comparatively solid. It is essential that the weight G shall 'preponderate over the weight G, after the buoyancy of tho water upon the weight G has i been calculated. The relative diameters of the weights, to attain this result,wo uld he'about as five to three,

l The relative diameters would, however,'require to bo changedaccordingly as the metals or substances of which they are made should be more or less dense.

The weight G arranged within a closed cylinder in the hold of the vessel, and its chain guarded by a tube, c, which connects the cylinder'and indicator-case together, as shown. i

In order to have the water operate upon the weight G, I providethe cylinder H with a'sliding poppet-valve, I, as shown, and inorder to have the water shut oft' from the weight during the rolling motionsof a ship, I' counectthevalveat one end to a pendulum-, K, which is suspended' from the upper end of-thc cylind er II, :is shown; The poppet-valve being doubleLacting, or consisting of two pairs oivalvcs connected by one stem, as shown irr the drawing, will excludethemoving water outside of the cylinder from the interior of the cylinder H, in both the right and left motionsof the ship, and also will confine the water within the cylinder so as to prevent any change in its height-under'li'ke motions the-ship; but while this is the casr, water will have free access into the cylinder when the'ship is in proper position or trimmed. The weight is not encased in 'a valved cylinA der, such as I-I, but is suspende-d in open space above the highest-point that the water might rise to, reference' also being had to -the descent of said weight as the water rises in the ships hold. The 'chain of this weight is also guarded and guided by a tube, c1, pendent from the case A. I

4In order to secure a regular 'and proper revolution of the disks C- C', and valso to'sound an alarm-bell, I arrange two wheels L L upon the shafts of these disks, in the manner shown; and upon the outer end of the shaft which carries the inch-'indicating disk, a pin-wheel, M,'is also applied.

The wheel L is constructed with twelve notches in itsv circumference, and between these notches a concave surface is formed, such `concavebeiinga segment ofa circle of the saine diaineter` as the wheel L. The wheel L has but one tooth, and about the base of thistooth the metal of the'wheel is cut away, in order that when this tooth gears into one or theV other of the twelve notches of the wheel L, there shall b'e room enough for the highest peints ofthe'wheel L to p ass by the wheel L'j but at all other times than those just named the wheel Lremains immovably inter-locked.' This mechanical construction of wheels is not new, being known as the. windingstop movement of a watch.; but the application orcombination of such wheels inthe manner I have shown is new.

' Nis an alarm-bell, arranged in 'rear'otl th'c gearing upon a stationary arbor of"the spidcr, and O is a 'lmnp vmer for striking upon this.bell. The -arm of this hammer is piv'otcd'to a bar of-the spider in the usual manner, and actuatedso as to recoil by means of a spring, g. At the tail-endof the hammer-arm a curved piece, h, is

ivoted and arran ed so as to recoil b means olf a s' rinn z' asshown. This curved iecc becomesas-thouvh it a Hg f a1 v D werea rigid part of the hammer-arm whenA the pins ofthe pinwheel strike upon it properly, e so as to sound an alarm, but no -longer'remains as such rigid part of Ithe hammer-arm when the motion of the pin-wheel is reversed, but,`on the contrary, yields to the action of the pin-'wheehand relievesthe hammer-of any influence thereof. Such yielding attachments to hammer-arms maynot be new broadly, but the way I havelco'nstructed and arranged vthe salme is new.' l Y Y The `leading principle of my invention is the application oftwo-wcights vto a pulley which is within the indicating-case,'and in connection with th'e same, having all`the gearing for operating the indicating-disks, I

and also the alarm', within the same case. This end I attain by using weights comparatively solid, or of'greater specific gravity than water, and applying these weights to a chain or cord which is continually being wound round the pulley at one side, und p aid oi from the same at the .opposite side when the water in the hold is rising or falling. Y

There are some special features of my invention which I deem as particularly valuable.

In the first place, by using a pulley operated by weights, as herein cxplainehI obtain a uniform power at all stages` of water,which would not be the case if I used a spring, for, in the use ci' a spring, it, when coiled up, as it is when there are but a'few inches of water in the hold, "would generate more power than it would when there is a 'greater quantity of water in thehold. On this account,'a float which sank an inch or two at vfirst, when the spring was coiled up, would almost. entirely submerge whcn'the spring uncols and becomes weak.: `In registering the rise 0f water in this way, we lose nearly the whole diameter of, the iloat.

Again, by the use of the pulley, operated as ldescribed, I am not limited'as to tbc amount-ot' power to he employed. It' I obtained my-power from a spring wound up by the weight of the float, it is'plain that I would be confined within very narrow limits. If my spring is too `strong, it willliit the float entirely out of the water,

' and, on the other hand, if it is too weak, it will not move the mechanism necessary to indicate the rise oi' water, and to give the alarm. With the two unequal solids of greater specific gravity than water, as employed in my invention, I can generate any required power, and, what is absolutely essential to accuracy, my power is uniform at all stages of the water.

Another vvaluable feature in my invention is the employment of disks in conjunction with thc winding-stop movement described. `The periphery of 'onewhecl ofthis movement being concave while that of the other is convex, the disk on th'e'shaft of L, which shows the number of feet of water in the holcl'ot` the vessel, is held' yfirmly in its place, while the disk on' the shat'tof L', which shows the number of inches of water, is allowed to revolve. By this simple and effective combination I. obtain a forward and reverse movemengby which I can register a rise of water amounting in the aggregate to one hundred and fifty-five inches, and to give a separate alarm for each and every in ch of the rise, and in the end I have precisely the same power that I vhad in the.'-

beginning; and all these result s are produced by a single pulley acting upon two wheels, andthrough them upon two revolving disks. There are no springs, and no complication of cog-wheels or the' like, to get out of order, everything connected with the arrangement being greatly simpliedyby the use of the pulley, and two wheels, and'also rendered compact and eiectiv'e, without liabilityofgetting out of order.

Again, by the use of two solid'balls, both of greater specific gravitythan water, and such vas are not affected I in theirweight by moisture 'or otherA causes, as glass, for example, I avoid all the difficulties that would be encountered by using hollow balls, which vary in their weight by absorbing 'and condensing water inside of. them, or wooden floats which weigh more or less as they may happen to contain more or less water. I also overcome diiiiculties which would be experienced by using one solid and one float, b'oth by simplifying the machine and rendering its action certain and useful at the first rising of Athe wat er beyond a safe' height in the hold of the vessel. i

Another valuable feature of my invention is the arrangement by whichI prevent it from responding tothe vibrations ot' 'the Watervin the hold, resulting from the rolling ot' the vessel. Without this lutter-arrangement the careening of the vesselwould be continually sounding the'alarm, tothe annoyance of the pilot and others y when in `fact the vessel is not leaking. Moreoventhe alarm would thus become n familiar sound, 'and would foil to attract attention when danger became real. p

My invention, ns a Whole, is designed specially for application to vessels und ships whose holds are diicult of access, or dark, lundotherwise not calculated to enable a-person to inspect them with certainty.

What I cluim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Providing for indicating the height of leakage-Water in the hold of a vessel by means of weights of greater specie gravitytllun Water, lsuspended from n pulley, so that one ofthe weights shall rise and descend' with the rise andfnll ofthe Water,'nnd the other make similar movements, but in a.' reverse manner, und by its movements eomniunicnte'motion to registering, indicating,.or alarm-mechanism, substantially as described. f

2. The combination of n leakage-measure which consists of two-.wcight s, and a chain, which is arranged to unwind from a. pulley ns fast ns it winds upon the same, with an nlarm,'or with un indicator,or with a combined alarm `and indicator, substantially as described.

The combination of the wheels L L', chain F, Weights Gr G', pulleyKE, and disks C C", substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination ot" a leakage-measure, operating substantially asfdescribed, with theiigured disks, the alarm-devices, and' the gearing L Land M, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

5.. The curved piece L, constructed and applied to the hammernrm substantially in the manner :znd't'or the purpose described. i A W 6 The combination' of the weight G, cylinderH, pendulum K, and double-acting poppet-vnlve', substantially as and for the purpose described. y

7. Arranging all the gearing, the alarm-devices, the indicating-disks, und the pulley of the weighbchnin or cord, upon afi-ame or spider ofthe case A, substantially as described. i 'y Witness my hand, in the matter of myapplication for o. patent for nn improved leakage-alarm und indicator for ships and other vessels, this 14th day oi' February, A. D. 1868.

' THOS. P. AKERS.

Witnesses:

R. T. CAMPBELL, EDW. SCHAFER. 

